This fact sheet provides a snapshot of findings from a RESOLVE Policy Note detailing findings from a large-scale literature review mapping the state of research on education in P/CVE in the Western Balkans and beyond and offering a series of considerations for policymakers and practitioners looking to incorporate education in future efforts to address drivers, both real and potential, of violent extremism in Western Balkan states.

Recent research on violent extremism in the Western Balkans, and North Macedonia specifically, suggests that education may be an important tool in addressing violent extremism in the region. Some have suggested educational initiatives may assist in addressing online and offline disinformation and extremist narratives. Furthermore, addressing ongoing issues within ethnically divided educational systems may play an important role in working to address some of the ethnic-based divisions that can contribute to ”othering” dynamics. Others have further suggested that education and other support services can play a role in aiding the transition of those imprisoned on charges related to violent extremism and returning families back into society. As countries throughout the Western Balkans continue to update and revise their national action plans and policies to address violent extremism, greater consideration of the role of education and how it might be integrated into these policies is needed.

 

For more, see: Besa Arifi, Education in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism: Considerations for the Western Balkans, RESOLVE Network, 2022.